


Falling in Love with My Best Friend

by Nikka001



Series: Stronger Together - A Collection of Jimon One-Shots [8]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Declarations Of Love, Dorks in Love, Idiots in Love, Love Confessions, M/M, Romantic Soulmates, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, True Love, Wedding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-16
Updated: 2019-02-16
Packaged: 2019-10-29 22:04:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,712
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17816339
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nikka001/pseuds/Nikka001
Summary: For some, a soulmate soulmark is instantaneous. It happens all in an instant and you really have no say over the matter. For others though, it can take years to develop. It starts out small and simple, similar to the look of a bruise. Then, over time, it starts to blossom into something greater. It’s the work of your love for one another building and building until finally, it bursts out of you like a firework and there’s nothing you can do.If Simon had a say, he would have neither. No soulmate was worth the heartache, even if it was with the most important person in his life





	Falling in Love with My Best Friend

* * *

 

It wasn’t until Simon had turned 16 that he finally understood what a soulmark was. When he finally knew the reasoning behind the large splotch of black on his torso. He had never really understood or even cared much about his soulmark and what it stood for. That is, until the night of his 16th birthday. The night that changed his whole life in a single moment.

 “Simon, it’s Clary and Izzy. Can we come in?”

 Simon hummed in response and pulled the blanket tighter around himself when he heard the door open and then close. He felt the bed dip on both sides but refused to emerge from his cocoon; opting to stay hidden for as long as they would let him. It wasn’t as long he would’ve liked when only a few minutes later, he was being poked and prodded through the thick fluff of the blanket.

 “Simon, you’ve gotta come out eventually. You are going to need to eat at some point.”

 Sighing, Simon finally gave up all hope of being alone and slowly pushed the top of the blanket down over his face.

 Izzy, who was sat on his right, smiled down at him. “There he is.”

 “Couldn’t you guys just leave me to wallow in peace?”

 Izzy and Clary exchanged a look. “No,” they spoke at the same time.

 “So,” Clary began as she flopped down backward next to Simon, “are you gonna tell us what’s going on or are we going to have to beat it out of you?”

 Simon huffed. “I found my soulmate.”

 He was met with silence as both girls stared at him in shock, eyes wide and mouths hanging open just slightly.

 “And it’s... _you-know-who._ ”

 Clary quirked an eyebrow. “Your soulmate is Voldemort?”

 Simon gave her a look. “No, you dork. Not you-know-who as in the Dark Lord. More like the guy I’ve been crushing on since we were seven.”

 Izzy squealed and Simon flinched. “Oh my god! Jace! Jace is your soulmate!” 

* * *

  _Digging his feet absentmindedly into the sand in front of him, Simon watched his friends as they partied together farther down the beach. The music emitting from the portable speaker was faint but it still managed to make its way up to him. He hummed along with the song and watched in amusement at Clary and Izzy’s attempts to get Alec to join them in the festivities. The elder of the group continued to refuse their requests, instead opting to stay put in his seat on the group blanket. It wasn’t until Magnus held out a hand to him that Alec decided to finally give in and join the group._

  _“Shouldn’t you be down there enjoying the fun too?”_

  _Simon glanced over his shoulder at the familiar voice, a spark igniting somewhere inside him when he saw Jace walking towards him._

  _He smiled up the other boy. “I suppose so. But, if I was down there, then I wouldn’t be able to be up here. Away from Izzy’s homemade birthday cake.” He shuddered at the thought of ever having to eat one of Izzy’s creations ever again._

  _The sand shifted beneath him as Jace took up a spot on his right, their knees brushing together slightly as he sat. They sat for a few moments in silence just staring out at the ocean and taking it all in._

  _“I have something for you,” Jace’s voice was quiet when he finally spoke and it worried Simon. Jace was a lot of things but quiet was not one._

  _Simon turned to Jace and watched curiously as he pulled a package from inside his balled up jacket. He cautiously handed it over to Simon who grinned and snickered a little to himself at the haphazard wrapping job. The Happy Birthday wrapping paper was crumpled and folded messily over the gift, layers of tape keeping the edges from popping open. Intrigued, Simon began tearing away at the paper and was somewhat confused at the item inside. A book._

  _“Turn it over.” Jace sounded excited yet nervous at the idea of Simon seeing the other side of the book._

  _Willing to indulge his friend a little longer, Simon did as requested and flipped the book over. Displayed on the front cover in big gold letters was the title of the book: The Secret Garden. Seeing the cover, Simon laughed, his heart filling with more adoration than he’d ever felt for the boy sitting next to him._

  _He turned his smile to Jace. “The Secret Garden. Really?”_

  _“Yes really!” Jace exclaimed, a smile breaking out on his face. “I don’t think you quite understand just how much trouble I got into for you. And all because of that silly book.”_

  _Simon’s smile widened, “Hey! It wasn’t just me, okay? Clary was there too.”_

  _“Yeah. Except she wasn’t the one to chuck that book over the fence into Mr. Starkweather's lawn. That, my friend, was all you.”_

  _“In my defense,” Simon started as he threw himself back into the sand, “that blackberry bush had it coming.”_

  _Jace chuckled at his best friend before turning in his spot and laying down, his head and neck resting comfortably atop Simon’s stomach._

  _They stayed that way for hours, neither one quite ready to ruin the moment just yet. And, if Simon felt a tugging in his stomach where Jace’s head lay, he hadn’t let on. He’d rather suffer through the heartache of never having love, than risk losing it all._

* * *

 

 “Take it off.”

 Simon turned at the harsh words and the slamming of the bedroom door from behind him. “Jace? What --?”

 Jace was fuming now, tears welling in his perfectly mismatched eyes. “You heard me, Simon! Your shirt. Take it off! Now!”

 “Wait a minute, Jace. I don’t understand. What the hell is going on?” Simon took a cautious step toward the man standing across from him. He knew exactly what was going on but, he was really hoping that he was wrong.

 Jace stayed put where he was but Simon could see how hard he wanted to move closer. His hands were curled up in tight fists at his sides, his knuckles turning an alarming shade of white.

 “I need to see if it’s true,” he said, voice as steady as ever.

 Simon’s heart beat a little faster. “See if what’s true?”

 “Dammit Simon!” Jace shouted and Simon startled. “Your mark. I need to see if what they’re saying about it is true.”

 “Jace, please, just leave it alone.”

 Jace gave Simon a teary-eyed smile yet his eyes were full of pain. “That’s the thing though. I can’t leave it alone. Not now. Not now that I know about it. Please Si,” he pleaded, “just show me.”

 With trembling hands, Simon untucked his dress shirt from his slacks. He gripped tightly to the bottom hem of the shirt, terrified of what may come next. He squeezed his eyes shut tight and let the tears fall as he slowly lifted up the bottom of his shirt, enough to reveal the golden glittery swirls wrapped around the right side of his abdomen. Intertwined in the lines of gold, were some of the most mundane words ever spoken. Yet to Simon, they meant years of heartache and longing; _“Shouldn’t you be down there enjoying the fun too?”._

 “You should have told me.”

 Letting go of his shirt, Simon drew in a shaky breath. “I know, and I’m sorry.”

 “You’re sorry?” Jace’s words were rough against Simons' ears. “I’ve spent nine years completely blind to the fact that my soulmate was right in front of me the whole freaking time.”

 Simon took a step toward Jace. “I know I should have told you, okay? I know that. I was just scared. I was scared that if I told you, things would change between us. And I really don’t want things to change. Especially not now.”

 Jace sighed and ran a hand through his newly cut hair, not used to the shortened length just yet. Today was supposed to be a special occasion for Simon and he wanted to look nice. He went through so much trouble to help make today perfect, despite his dislike of what today really meant. Not only for his and Simon’s relationship but for Simons relationship with Raphael as well. It’d been only six months since Simon announced his engagement to Raphael and Jace could still feel the empty space in his heart; a space reserved specifically for his best friend.

 “What if...what if I do?” Jace finally asked, the words jumbled on his tongue.

 Simon furrowed his brow. “What if you do what?”

 Jace sighed and stepped forward, “What if I _do_ want things to change. Between us.”

 “Jace...I…”

 “Please Si,” Jace pleaded, closing the space between them until they were only inches apart, his hands finding their place on the other Simons’ waist.

 Simon let out an uneasy breath, his hands trembling and his heart beating wildly in his chest.

 “I know this is like the worst possible timing ever but—“

 “That’s a bit of an understatement, is it not?” A smooth voice spoke from the door, startling the two men, neither noticing when the man entered the room.

 Simon’s breath hitches in his throat. “Raphael.”

 Jace’s hands drop from Simon’s waist and he slowly takes a step back, allowing Raphael to take his place in front of his fiance. Raphael nods to him in thanks before taking up the spot that Jace had previously occupied. Grabbing Simon by the lapels, Raphael pulled him in close and placed a soft and sweet kiss on his lips.

 Simon sighed when Raphael pulled away. “Raphael, I’m sorry.”

 “I know you are,  _mi amor,”_ Raphael spoke softly, caressing Simon’s face in his hand. “And it’s okay. He’s your soulmate.”

 “Are you sure? I mean I can’t just--”

 Raphael cut him off with a peck to the cheek. “It’s fine Simon. After all, who am I to stand in the way of destiny?”

 With a heavy heart and eyes gleaming with unshed tears Raphael turns to leave. He’s inches from the door when he stops and looks over his shoulder at the couple, now embracing one another in a hug.

 He smiles. _Take care of him for me._

* * *

 


End file.
